Taking Initiative
by tophness
Summary: Azula keeps missing the Avatar. And she's not happy about it. She really has to take matters into her own hands now. Drabble, Ozai's Angels. R&R.


**A/N: Yet another story for an ASN drabble contest. Gotta love 'em. Theme here: "You just missed them..." So basically, I had to write about a missed oppurtunity. Some of the criteria for this was to (A): Incorporate color without actually saying the color. I tried really hard to be descriptive and the judge said that I did really well with this. I was proud. (B): Invoke emotion. I don't think I did so well with this. In my head, I wanted to maybe get a sort of frightened or saddened emotion at the end, but I didn't really. The judge commented on that as well, said I was lack. I agree. I was angry with myself. (C): I totally forgot the third criteria. Hmm...what was it? Dern it, I forget. I think maybe it was something about no OCs, only canon, unless you use like a background vender or something, but not as the main character. And of course, I kept it completely canon. You'll see. Just read and review, por favor. I don't really speak Spanish, I take French, so maybe that's not spelled right...but you know what I'm saying, please review and tell me what you think!**

**Taking Initiative**

**OoOoOoO**

The soft sunlight glittered through the air as the sun inches towards its peak. The small meadow, which had been cut naturally in a perfect circle in a forest of dark and light trees, was waiting in tranquil silence. There seemed to be no distortion in this peaceful area. Just nature being nature.

Suddenly, the roar of a giant animal could be heard coming from above. Any animal passing through the meadow could look up and see a large bison flying frantically through the air towards one of the bare mountains jutting from the earth behind the lush forest. Every now and again a giant, off-color fireball would rip through the sky, heading straight for the bison and his companions atop his back. The bison would swerve out of the way just in time, narrowly missing the attacks.

Finally, the bison, now a tiny speck against the background of the dark mountains, was out of range for the attackers. All ground-dwelling animals had fled from the meadow, just as all the birds had fled from the tree tops, for a large disturbance had entered, and consequently destroyed, the serene bliss of the enclosed scene. The disturbance was very out of place, and outcast to its scenic neighbors.

Dense steam poured from the exhaust pipe and evaporated into the air. The gleaming, metallic shell of the contraption greatly contrasted with the softness of the forest. Deep tracks were engraved in the smooth, flattened grass leading into the meadow. Some branches that were torn off of their trees by the machine in passing littered the forest floor. But the machine just stood there in its gleaming glory, ignorant of the minor destruction.

A door on the side of the tank slid open to reveal three young women, the one in front with a deathly expression on her face.

"We lost them," sighed a girl to her right. "Again."

"I am aware, Mai," growled the girl in front, seemingly the leader.

"Well, that's alright!" said the third girl, a wide optimistic smile on her face. She proceeded to cartwheel out of the tank. "Azula will think of something else, right Azula?"

The leader, Azula, did not answer. She took a step out of the tank and scrutinized her surroundings.

"What else _is_ there to do?" said the first girl, Mai, as she too exited the machine.

Again, Azula did not immediately answer. She turned slowly on the spot, glaring at the tall aspects of nature presented before her. She paused when she was once again facing her companions. "Good question, Mai. What _is_ there to do? The Avatar is swift. Too swift. We keep missing him. It's getting us nowhere."

"Well, we're not nowhere," said the third girl, a frown line creasing her forehead.

"Ty Lee, look around. We _are_ nowhere," spat Mai.

"Nuh-uh." Ty Lee shook her head. "We're here." She spread her arms, indicating their lush surroundings. "In this beautiful forest. I've never seen nature this pretty." The smile quickly returned to her face as she set her eyes on the tree tops.

Azula pondered this. "Hmm…beautiful forest…" A dark glint appeared in her liquid eyes. She shifted her gaze towards the mountains where the Avatar disappeared.

"What are you thinking, Azula?" Ty Lee asked carefully.

Azula glanced down to the ground, then up towards the sun. "You see the sun? It is not yet midday. You can see that our shadows, though small, are pointing west. The Avatar was heading northwest. My guess is that he is heading towards Ba Sing Se."

"Yeah…so?" questioned Mai.

"_So_, that means we should had to Ba Sing Se as well," Azula concluded through her clenched, gleaming teeth.

"To Ba Sing Se? Ty Lee asked, her big, bright eyes shining with confusion. "But why?"

"Because, if we can make it to Ba Sing Se before the Avatar, we can meet up with the drill that will break through the outer wall. Once that happens, we will take control of Ba Sing Se and it will be much easier to capture the Avatar with all of Father's troops at our disposal."

"Wait." Mai held up one hand to halt Azula's speech. "There's a drill planning to break through the outer wall? Why didn't you tell us? This is the kind of action I've been waiting for."

Azula simply shrugged. "Must have slipped my mind."

Ty Lee's face lit up once again with a big smile. "Wow, Azula! That's a _brilliant_ plan! You are so smart."

"Yes, Ty Lee, I know," Azula smirked. "Now let's get out of here. We must be on our way if we want to make it to Ba Sing Se in time."

"Yes, please," Mai groaned. "The vibrant colors of this forest are making me nauseous."

"How can you say that, Mai?" Ty Lee countered. "This forest is beautiful!"

The girls bickered for a few more moments before they realized that the most important member of their elite team had not joined them on their trek back to the tank.

"Azula?" Ty Lee called out. "Aren't you coming?"

"Just one moment, Ty Lee," she said, facing the trees with her back to them. "The Avatar's job is to preserve nature, yes?"

Ty Lee answered uncertainly. "Uh…I guess so?"

Azula turned her head slightly so half of her face was facing the girls. "Well, why don't we show him just what an amazing job he's doing?"

"What are you talking about, Azula?" Mai inquired, but the cunning young leader had already turned back to the trees and assumed a firebending stance. She punched a blazing, unnaturally colored fireball to her left and another to her right. Then she swept her foot high in the air behind her, the fire arc passing way above the heads of her friends and licking the tree tops.

The fire spread quickly around the trees of the meadow as Azula walked briskly back into the tank. Ty Lee and Mai stared at the burning forest before them in disbelief before they too turned and entered the tank.

The machine started and trudged through the inferno, unmarred by the flames licking at its exterior. The fire extended rapidly, taking all of the beautiful color away from its place in nature.

**END**


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